The Holocaust Background

Study Notes

The Holocaust Background

The Holocaust was a part of World War II that involved the mass murder of nearly 6 million Jews and others, including Gypsies, Slavs, disabled people, and gay people.
Hitler and the Nazis hated Jews, blaming them for Germany's defeat in World War I and its collapse in the 1920s.
Hitler wrote a book called "My Struggle," in which he discussed wiping out Jews and believed Aryans were the most worthy human beings.

Rise to Power

When Hitler came to power, Jews who worked in government lost their jobs, followed by other professionals like doctors and lawyers.
Jewish businesses were closed, and Jews were isolated from society, given separate seats on buses and park benches, and bullied in schools.

Nuremberg Laws and Kristallnacht

In 1935, the Nuremberg laws stripped Jews of their German citizenship.
On the night of November 9, 1938, Jewish homes and shops were violently attacked in the so-called "Kristallnacht" or "Night of the Broken Glass."

The War

In 1939, Germany invaded and took control of West Poland, and Polish Jews were driven from their homes and forced to live in separate areas called "ghettoes."
Between 1939 and 1941, the Nazis killed over 70,000 mentally and physically disabled people, considering them an unfit burden on society.

The Camps

In 1941, nearly 1 million Jews from all over Europe were killed by the Nazis.
In 1942, Hitler organized the construction of camps, such as Auschwitz, where Jews and others were forced into slave labor, starved to death, or murdered.
At Auschwitz alone, over 2 million people were killed by the Nazis.

Reactions and Responses

Some people, like Oskar Schindler, risked their lives to save Jews, while others, like Anne Frank, hid from the Nazis and kept a diary.
Some Jews fled to other countries, while others were sent to foster care in countries like Britain.

Death Marches

As Soviet troops approached, the Nazis ordered the evacuation of the camps in 1944, resulting in the death of between 250,000 and 375,000 people during the marches.

Aftermath

Survivors were unable to return home, having lost their families, and many were homeless for some time.
The Nuremberg trials of 1945-1946 brought surviving Nazi leaders to justice, sentencing many to death.
The state of Israel was created in 1948, partly to provide a permanent home for Holocaust survivors.

Description

Learn about the historical context and events leading to the Holocaust during World War II, including the mass murder of 6 million Jews and other persecuted groups. Understand Hitler's anti-Semitic beliefs and the impact of his ideology on Nazi Germany.